Brati’s recent offering at Rabindra Sadan celebrated the essence of smell in Rabindranath Tagore’s myriad songs honouring various elements, such as flowers, forests, and soil. At the helm of the sharply executed programme was the much-revered Apala Basu Sen who runs Brati.
The event titled Gandho Bedone was divided into two parts. The chorus gave a bold lift to “Amar ei path chawatei ananda” with its distinct grooves allowing the singers to show flamboyance. For the solos, Prolipto Ghosh (picture) balanced delicacy with precision in “Madhya diner bijon”. Every texture was precisely imagined and fell right into the 2/4 beat format of sasthitaal gracefully. In Durba Singha Roychoudhury’s “Ami jalbo na”, one experienced the brilliant suggestion of vulnerability as she stressed the opening line in different tones. Rodoshi Ghosh brought a sense of serenity to “Bedona ki bhashaye”, riding the crests and the troughs with ease. While Dipanjan Paul could have sounded a little more distinct in “Mone holo jeno periye elem”, Arindam Dasgupta’s low-pitched voice could not hold the higher notes of “Je chaya re” steadily. The choruses, “Nupuro beje jaye” and “Bohu juger opar hote”, were breezily delivered.
Earlier, under Sen’s guidance, a motley group of dancers underlined the theme of nrityarasa. In particular, Supratim Pal showed prowess with his easily paced and straightforward style for “Proloy nachon” and “Mamo chitte”. Binata Chakraborty (“Hriday amar nache re”) and Pallabi Ruj (“Amay khamo hey khamo”) displayed style with finesse. While the accompanying musicians tried their best, they were not able
to add layers to most of the songs. A slightly better stage management could have elevated the evening.
